Rolling screen.



1. & P. GUMBER & l. HARDER.

ROLLING SCREEN.

` APPLlcArloN FILED Fes.21.191.

1,242,177. Patented oet. 9, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

'6 JOSEPH Gun/:BER

Paul. Gun/15E@ BY c Z7? 7 jT//A/i JOHN Harm u I .L l 34 aucunes;

l. & P. GUMBER 6L I. HARDER.

ROLLING SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2|. 1911.

QU 1 u s O mmn n 9 no 2 3 w mmm www am H MM dw UU m9 @1Q m 4 H nd P P. 5 Ewhm l ma o JPM W.. y j, OJ A' w 7 .l 5 0 m 0R 9W l ZI HHRDERJ- 's ra AN tnon JOSEPH GUMBER, PAUL Gromann,ANDv JOHN Hamann, or EAST MOLINP., ILLINoIsj ROLLING SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenteaoet. a, 1era.

I Application `filled. February 21, 1917. SerialiNo. 150,182, v

` useful Improvements in Rolling Screens, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawgThis invention relates to an improved rolling screenl for windows, porches, and likeplaces` where itis desirable to completely screen the opening to prevent the entrance of flies and other insects, and also permit of theeasy and quick removal of the screen from the opening, when desired. It is the principal object of the present invention to provide certainimprovements in ascreen of the above type as disclosed in our prior application for patent,"filed March 27, 1916, Serial No. 87,015.

One feature of'improvement embodied in the present invention, resides in the provision of means formounting the screen roller for bodily oscillating movement upon the window frame or other supporting structure as the screen is withdrawn or lowered 'orl rolled upon the roller.

It is another object of the invention to devise improved means whereby the screen roller andv its casing may be easily and quickly mounted upon or removed from the ordinary windowstructure, and to provide means which will prevent the frictional binding engagement of the roller or the screen material with the casing or the winf dow frame.

The invention has for another importantA rolling of the same under'the action of the roller spring while said metal strip is being suitably fastened to the window sill or other stationary part.`

It is ay further general object of our presy ent invention to provide improvements of the character abovenoted inour yoriginal device, which lwill greatly increase the 'serv iceabillty and utility of the invention disf closed'in our prior application, but without ,Y

materially increasing the `manufacturing cost thereof.

VvWith theabove and other objects in view, our invention'consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more yfully described, claimedI 'and illustrated inI the accompanying drawings, in which, v Figure lis a vertical sectional viewlillusf tratmg our improved screen vapplied to a window; i f Y Fig. '2 is a front elevation, he lf scree'n roller being shown insection;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section line 83 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation. of one end of the roller frame, showing the means for detachablyy mounting the same upon thel window casing; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the lower lendof vthe screen guide vshoivving the 'means for automatically locking or holding the screen in its lowered position;

Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken ony ing a slightly diiferent connecting means between the upper end of the screen fabric and the rope; and j Fig. 10 is a 'detail sectional view through one endlof the flexible screen. Referring in detail to the drawings, F indicates a Window frame, S the sill, .and S the 'outer`sash.` C indicates the outer st op taken on'the 4 bar or cleat which retains the sash'in place,

an'd H the head rail or bar upon which the frame is secured. It will be understoodthat the illustration of the window frame ispi purely conventional and the invention which we will now proceed to describe in detailis applicable to various other frame structures.

ln one embodiment of our invention which is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is provided a casing generally designated by the numeral 5 and preferably constructed of sheet metal.' This casing includes av rear wall 6, a top wall 7', and end walls 8. Thegfront or outer side of this casing is open andthe 'top wall- 7 therel of is adapted to extend under and in contact with the edge of the head bar H whilel the rear wall 6 is in abutting contact with the outer edge of the stop or cleat C.

For the purpose of conveniently mounting this casingand the screen roller and associated parts which are. carried thereby in its operative position upon the window frame, slide plates 9 are emplo'yed, said wall being provided with outwardly struck, spaced guide lugs 10 engaged over the longitudinal edges of the slide plates. This plate which is preferably of sheet metal, is centrally formed with a longitudinally eX- tending, reinforcing rib 11. vThe ends of the plate 9 are angularly bent, as shown at 12,

and the end 12 of the slide plate nearest the end of the casing is provided with an opening 13 therein. Supporting pins 14 are driven through the cleats `C and into the side bar of the windowframe. In mounting the screen roller` and casing in place, it will be understood that the slide plates 9 are first drawn inwardly so that the outer angular ends 12 thereof will vproject inwardly from the pins 14. By now shifting the yslide plates outwardly, the pins 14 are received in the openings 13. These pins 14 are preferably slightly tapered so that they will bind against the edges of the openings 13. Thus, the screen roller and casing will be securely retained in their applied positions.

The screen roller is in the form of a hollow, metal cylinder 15, and within this cylinder a relatively stationary, center rod 16 is arranged. The cylinder is provided in its opposite ends with the bearings 17 soldered or otherwise .securely fixed to the cylinder wall and each having `a central opening through which the rod 16 is loosely engaged. An additional bearing 18y in the form of a spider is also arranged centrally Within the tubular roller 15 and has the outer ends of .its arms angularly bent for frictional engagement with the wall of the roller. The extremities of the rod 16 which project beyond the end bearings 17 in the roller are fixed in the circular, dished ends 19 of the arms 20. These arms areA mounted eccentrikcally with relation to the rod 16 upon the roller, an inwardly projecting sleeve 22 is rigidly fixed at one end, preferably by means of lugs 23 which extend through openings in the bearingplate and are clenched upon the opposite side ofthe pl-ate.- A wood roller 24 is centrally bored to tightly fit upon the rod 16, one end of said roller being engaged within the, collar 22 and said end of the roller being preferably recessed to receive a central hub flange 17 on the bearing plate 17. A metal cap or sleeve'25 is engaged over the opposite end .of the wood tire length ofthe wood roller 24 and, at its ends, fits snugly upon the sleeve 22 andcap 25. One terminal of this spring is engaged through an opening-inthe arm 26 on the cap 25 and the other terminal thereof suitably secured to the sleeve 22.

A sheet metal roller 15 has a longitudinally extending, rectangular channel 28 formed therein by pressing the metal inwardly. The wire screen fabric29 has each of its ends secured in a reversely bent, ductile metal strip 3,0 extending the entire width of the screen. The parallel parts of these metal strips are tightly clenched. together and thus securely fixed to the edges of the screen fabric without necessitating thev use of other fastening elements. The clenched metal strip 30 on the upper end ofthe screen fabric is adapted to be forced into the rectangular channel 28 of the screen roller under pressure, .so that the side walls of the channel will clampingly and frictionally engage the metal strip and retain the same in connection with the roller against all possibility of its casual displacement or disconnection therefrom. y

To the opposite sides of the window frame and immediately adjacent the outer edge of the stop cleat C, the guides 31. are secured. These guides, as shown more clearly in Fig. 7 of the drawings, each consists of a sheet metal strip bent upon itself to provide a hollow,l rectangular casing 32 and a flange 33 extending longitudinally of the casing and projecting laterally therefrom, constituting practically a continuation of one of the casing walls. The longitudinal edges of the metal plate( from which the guide is formed are spaced apart tov provide a slot or opening 34 in the opposed wall of thecasing. The flange 33 which is producedv at the central fold in the metalplate and is, therefore, of,v double thickness, is provided with suitable openings to receive fastening -screws 35 whereby the guide may be securely fixed to the window frame. The vertical edges of a longitudinally extending channel 36 therein, said channel being adapted to receive'thel reinforcing metal strip 30 clenched' upon..

the lower edgefof the screen'fabric. @ne edge of the metal plate is extended upwardly in parallel relation to one of the side walls of the channel 36, as indicated at 37,

and provides a bearing or contacting surface for the screen fabric. The other edge of the metal plate is laterally extended to afford a flange 38 which is slotted at spaced points to receive turn buttons or other suitableS fastening means 39 on the window sill f For the purpose of Vholding the` screen fabric 29 in its lower. position while the flange 38 of the channel plate is being fastened to the window sill, we have provided a metal bar 40 in .each of the rectangular guide casings 32, which extends substantially the entire length. thereof. This metal bar is vertically movable between the inner side wall of the casing 32 and spaced tongues or lugs 41 which are struck from the rear wall of the casing and angularly bent, and disposed in parallel relation to said bar. The inner side wallfof the casing 32 is bent -or projected inwardly at spaced points to pro` vide sloping or inclined shoulders 42. The meal bar 40 has spaced recesses 43 in one of its longitudinal edges and is longitudinally slit in one direc-,tion from each of these recesses, as at 44, to provide resilient or spring arms 45.' The free end of each of these spring arms, at its outer edge, has a single tooth or projection 4G formed thereon. Each of the metal bars 40, at its lower end, has an angularly disposed flange 47 formed thereon which is normally disposed about onehalf inch above. the sill S. The opposite ends of the flange 37 extend through the slots 34 and into the guide casings 32. It will thus be seen that when the screen is pulled down and unwoundy from the roller 15, whereby the spring 27 is placed under a gradually increasing tension, the ends of the flange 37 will strike the angular flanges 47 on the lower ends of the vertically movable bars 40. The bars 40 will thus be forced downwardly in the guide casings 32 and the free ends 4of the spring arms 45 riding upon the bevels or i'nclines 32 will be forced laterally so that the teeth 46 will engage the screen fabric and hold the same against upward movement under the action of the spring27, it being understood, of course, that the channel plate 36 is held by the operator and forced downwardly upon the window sill until it issecured by the fasteners. When the plate 36l is released, the spring 27 tending to unwind pulls the screen fabric upwardly or stretches the same, thereby holding the fabric perfectly taut. As soon as the plate 36 isreleased, the unwinding of the roller spring 27pulls the screen fabric upwardly and thel bars 40 are `returned to their normal 'positions owing to theengagement of the teeth 46 with the' fabric. The spring arms 45 again assume their normal conditions and co-act with the inwardlyinclined portions 42 of the guide casings to prevent downward sliding movement ofthe bars 40. lit will thus be seen that'the screen will be securely held in its lowered position and excessive'strains upon vthe screen fabric, at 'its lower end which is attached to the channel plate 36 by the rupward pull upon the screen, is to a largeextent obviated, and the fasteners for the plate 36 also relieved of excessive pressure.

UponV the end walls 7 ofthe roller case, a curved shield plate 48 is pivotally mounted as at 48 and extends outwardly over the screen roller, said shield plate ,being of greater length than the roller and projecting beyond the ends` thereof.

Bearing lugs 49 are inwardly struck from the rear wall 6 ofthe roller case 5, adjacent to the top wall 7 thereof, and wood rolls 50 are mounted between these bearing lugs and thel end walls of the case. These rolls limit the swinging movement of the eccentrically mounted roller supports 20 in one direction and prevent frictional engagement of the roller or the screen thereon with the rear wall of the case.V

In the operation of the device as above de-iv scribed, it will be understood that the screen fabric 29 is normally wound upon the roller' 15. When this fabric is pulled'downwardly to cover the window frame opening, the roller 15 is rotated upon the rod 16 and the coil spring 27 is thereby placed under tension. As the screen is unwound from the roller and the tension. of the spring increases, the roller is oscillated and moved inwardly into bearing contact'with the antifriction rollers 50. Upon the release of the screen at its lower edge, the spring 27,

Vas it u nccils, reverses the rotation of the roller so that the fabricis wound thereon and the roller and the supports 20 between which -it is mounted, swing outwardly toward the shield or cover 48. The shield 48 under the pressure of the accumulated screen fabric against its lower edge, will yield and move upwardly, 'and as the screen is unwound from the roller, this shield plate, of course, returns to its normal position. The lower edge of the plate 48 is preferably provided with a bead 51 which engages the screen material so as to properly shed rain water and prevent the same from collecting upon the screen fabric. n l

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, we have shown a slightly modified mounting and arrange-` ment of the device, wherein the same is disposed interiorly of the bar Hof the structure and above the window frame. The pivoted roller supports 2O are mounted upon brackets 52 which are suitably secured to thebar 8 and the top of the window frame. The top bar of the frame is provided with suitable openings in line with the guide casings 32 so that the screen fabric may be drawn downwardly through said guides. Each of the brackets 52 is provided with a suitable bearing support for ananti-friction roller 50 arranged at opposite ends of the screen roller and preventing frictional engagement of the latter with the bar H. The construction of the roller and arrangement of the central rod and the roller spring is identical with that above described, and the device operates in a similar manner.

In Fig. 9, we have shown another means for connecting the upper edge of the screen fabric to the roller. In this case, a plurality of light, metal straps 53, preferably four in number, are employed, yand the ductile reinforcing strip 80 is slotted, as at 54, to receive one end of said strips, the terminal of the strip being tightly secured to the body of the strip by a metal loop 55 which is clenched thereon. The other or upper end of each of these flexible metal straps is inserted through spaced slots or openings 56 in the wall of the sheet metal screen roller, the strap terminals being bent reversely and extended between the bodyof the strap and the peripheral face of the roller. This means of connecting the screen to the roller is of especial advantage-when the devi'ce is mounted and arranged as shown in CF ig. 8, as it admits of the easy and quick renewal of the screen fabric without necessitating the dismounting of the screen roller.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of the several features ofimprovement which we have made in our original invention will be fully understood.` It will be appreciated that by means ofthe improved mounting of the screen roller and the means for fastening or securing thel same in lowered position, the practical utility and elliciency of the device in actual use is materially increased. At the same time, however, these improvements are of a very simple character and will not add to any great extent to the manufacturing cost of the original device.

While we have herein shown and described what we have found to be a very practical construction and operation, it will be understood that in applying the invention to various analogous purposes, minor alterations may be required by the circumstances of each particular case. It is, therefore, to be understood that we reserve the 'said roller at its ends for bodily movement with respect to the casing, and relatively stationary means mounted within the `casing and co-acting with the roller as the material is wound thereon to urge said roller outwardly from the open side of the casing.-

2. In combination, a casing open upon one side, a screen roller, means for mounting said roller at its ends for bodily movement with respect to the casing, a spring acting to wind the material upon the roller, and relatively stationary, anti-friction rollers mounted in the casing and :co-acting with the roller to urge the same in an outward direction from the open side of the casing as the material is wound thereon.

3. In combination, spaced 'oscillatable supports, a roller rotatably mounted upon said supports, a flexible material Vconnected to.

said roller, a stop member, a spring acting to rotate the roller in one direction and wind the material thereon, and means co-acting with the roller as the material accumulates upon the same, whereby the roller is caused to swing bodily with the-supportsyone of the supports engaging said stop member to positively limit such swinging movement. 4. In combination, spaced oscillatable supports, a roller rotatably mounted upon said supports, a flexible material connected to said roller, a spring to rotate the roller in one directionand wind thema-terial there-` on, a yieldable member extending upon one side of the roller axis, and means oo -acting with the roller on the opposite side of its axis and urging the same to its normal position and against the resistance of said yieldable member as the material accumulates upon the roller.

5. In combination, spaced oscillatable supports, a roller rotatably mounted upon said supports, a flexible material connected toV said roller, a spring to rotatethe roller in one direction and wind the material thereon, a yieldable member extending upon one side of the roller axis, and anti-friction members rotatably mounted above the roller axis and on the relatively opposite side thereof and operating to urge the roller toits normal position as the material accumulates upon said roller.

6. The combination with a supporting structure, of a spring actuated roller mounted uponsaid structure, spaced guides secured to the structure, a flexible material connected to the roller and movable in said guides, means attached to the free end of the flexible material to pull the same from the roller and movable in the guides, and holding devices engaged and actuated by the Vmeans on the free end of the flexible material when the same is unwound from the roller, whereby the devices are caused to operatively engage the material and hold the same against reverse movement under the action of the roller spring.

7. The combination with a supporting structure, of a spring-actuated roller mounted upon said structure, a flexible material connected at one of its ends to said roller, spaced hollow guides fixed to the structure in which the opposite edges of the screen are engaged, a holding device movably mounted in each of the hollow guides, and means on the free end of the material movable in said guides and adapted to engage the holding devices when the material is withdrawn from the roller, whereby said devices are caused to engage and hold the screen against reverse movement under the action of the roller spring.

8. The combination with a supporting structure, of a spring-actuated roller mounted thereon, tubular guide members fixed to the supporting structure at the opposite ends of the roller, a flexible material connected at one end to the roller and having its opposite edges movably engaged in said guide members, spaced parts longitudinally movable within each of the guide members and adapted to co-act with one wall of the guide member when moved in one direction, whereby said parts are projected into engagement with the edges of the screen to hold the same against reverse movement under the action of the roller spring, and means fixed to the flexible material and movable in said guides to move said parts and cause the same to operatively enga e the flexible material.

9. The com ination with a supporting structure, of a spring actuated roller mounted thereon, tubular guides fixed to the structure at opposite ends of the roller, a flexible material connected at one of its ends to the roller and having its opposite edges engaged in said guides, a vertically movable bar mounted within each of the 'guides and having spaced,` resilient arms .each provided with a tooth at its free end, one wall of the tubular guide being provided with spaced projections with which the respective arms engage in the movement of the bar in one direction to urge the teeth on said arms into engagement with theedge of the flexible material, whereby the same is held against movement under the action ofi'the "roller spring, and means secured to the free end of the flexible material and movable in said guides to actuate said bars when the matcrial is withdrawn from theroller.

10. In combination, a casing open'upon yone side, oscillatable supportsmounted upon the end walls of the casing, a roller rotatably mounted upon said supports forbodily movement therewith, a yieldable shield plate extending downwardly from the top wall of' the casing over the open side thereof to confine the roller within the casing, a flexible material connected to said roller, a spring acting to rotate the roller in one direction and wind the material thereon, and anti-friction members rotatably mounted in the opposite ends of the casing above the axis of the roller and co-acting with the roller to prevent binding contact of the same with the casing wall when the material is unwound from the roller, said members operating to urge the roller toward and in contact with the yieldable shield plate as the material accumulates thereon.

11. rIhe combination with a supporting structure, of a casing, supporting pins fixed in said structure, longitudinally movable slide plates mounted upon the opposite ends of the casing, each of said plates having an angular, laterally projecting end portion provided with an opening adapted to receive one of said pins when the plate is shifted in one direction on the casing wall to detachably sustain the casing upon said pins, and a spring actuated screen roller mounted in said casing.

12. In combination, a casing upon one side, bodily movable supports mounted within said casing, a screen roller carried by said supports and projecting from the open side of the casing, means within the casing to limit the bodily movement of the screen roller in one direction, and means limiting the movement of said roller in an outward direction from the open side of the casing when the material iswound thereon.

13. In combination, a casing, oscillatable supports mounted upon the end walls of the casing, stop lugs projecting from the casing walls and limiting the movement of the supports in one direction, a screen roller rotatably mounted in the supports, and means to co-act with the roller and prevent frictional contact of the same with the wall of the casing in the swinging movement of the supports as the screen is withdrawn from the roller.

14. In combination, a casing, oscillatable supports mounted upon the end walls of the casing, stop lugs on the end walls of the casing limiting the movement of the supports in one direction, a spring actuated roller ro- In testimony whereof We hereunto aix tatably mounted upon said supports7 a guard our signatures in the presence of Witnesses., plate `pivotally mounted upon the end Walls of the casing and extending outwardly over JOSEPH GUMBER. 5 the roller, the free longitudinal edge of the PAUL GrUMBER.

guard plate contacting With the roller, and JOHN HARDER. y means limiting the swinging movement of the supports in an opposite direction to pre- Witnesses:

vent frietional Contact of the roller With the JAMES A. MGKEOWN, 10 casing Wall when the material is Withdrawn LOUISE VANDER BEKER,

from the roller. PETER DHAMER. 

